Bill signals go ahead for Rail Project

27/11/2002 7:30 PM

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27/11/02

Construction of the fast, direct Perth-Mandurah railway is on track, with vital enabling legislation passing through Parliament this afternoon.

Planning and Infrastructure Minister Alannah MacTiernan said the TheRailway (Jandakot to Perth) Bill 2002 gave the Government authority to commence design and construction of the railway north of Thomson’s Lake and directly up the Kwinana Freeway.

“This is great news for people in Perth’s South Western corridor and Mandurah who are waiting for a world class public transport system.

“The railway will also complete a rapid transit spine from the City’s north to its south and provide much better transport linkages in the central business district.

“Perth will be getting a much better railway for only $34million on top of what the previous Government would have spent.

“It is 12 minutes faster, will carry 10,000 more passengers each day and importantly, the route down the Freeway means services on both the Mandurah and Armadale lines will be able to increase to meet future demand.”

Ms MacTiernan said the Government would move rapidly to begin construction of the railway.

“We will release the Public Environmental Review document this weekend and public submissions will be accepted from Monday, December 2, 2002. The public submission period will end in February 2003,” Ms MacTiernan said.

“While the PER is under way, we will be consulting with local communities and other interests on the design of rail infrastructure and stations and preparing for the tender process.

“We will also begin consultation and design for the city section works between the Narrows Bridge and Perth station.

“Forward works on the foreshore will be a major priority, so we are able to avoid disruption to the Perth Convention Centre.”

Ms MacTiernan said the project included 74km of rail track and 12 new stations and was the major part of the $1.4billion Perth Urban Development Project, which also includes the Currambine to Clarkson extension of the Northern Suburbs Railway and purchase of 93 new railcars.

“This is a very exciting project by world standards, and it will underpin Perth’s public transport system for the next 100 years.”